PEOPLE

Croatian people are generally very friendly and accessible.

In the south you will find the usual vivid Mediterranean mentality, whereas the northerners are more similar to their Central European neighbours.

English language is widely spoken (obligatory in elementary schools). In coastal areas Italian and German are very common (due to the long tourism tradition) and in the continental part, appart from English, German language is the most wide spread (Croatia’s north was a part of the Austro-Hungarian empire for centuries).

Croatian people are generally quite interested in learning about your country, culture and language, as well as talking about our history, traditions and everyday life.

We suggest learning a few basic words of Croatian language, as this will generally appeal to the local people and will create an atmosphere of acceptance and mutual respect (one of the web sites where you can learn a bit more about Croatian language  http://mylanguages.org/learn_croatian.php).

When talking about history with the locals, we suggest not to go „too deep“ into the topic  of the War for Independence, that happened in the ’90s. Although it ended nearly 20 years ago, to some people (especially in the rural communities) it can still be a highly sensitive and painful topic, so please bare that in mind when discussing Croatia’s (or Bosnian) recent history. For deeper insight on that, your tourleader (if you’re on a guided tour) is always available and ready to help.

Croatian people (young and old) are always keen on talking about sports. Although a small country, Croatia takes pride in its sports tradition and history, especially with football, handball, waterpolo, skiing, etc. However, keep in mind that it is always advisable to show mutual respect and not to be too conspicious in showing your choice of national teams, clubs, sportsmen, etc.